Watching the NBA Draft unfold back on June 25th, you could tell right away that something about this year felt different. There was a calm anticipation—as if everyone, from the analysts on TV to fans, already knew what was coming. When the Dallas Mavericks, who had somehow beaten 1.8% odds to land the top pick, were officially on the clock, there was no mystery. The moment Cooper Flagg’s name was announced, the cameras cut to celebration, but nobody seemed surprised. The 18-year-old Duke standout wasn’t just the first pick—that was the focal point of this year’s draft, marking the beginning of a new era. But while Flagg’s selection set the tone, it didn’t tell the whole story. As the night went on, it became clear that this rookie class had a lot more depth than one phenom in the spotlight.
Flagg’s journey to the Mavericks is the stuff of legend. An almost impossibly complete prospect, the 6-foot-9 forward dominated at Duke with a blend of ferocious defensive intensity and a rapidly evolving offensive game, averaging 19.2 points per game. He was, as one executive put it, the most celebrated American prospect in a generation, an “absolute lock” for the top spot. For Dallas, a team with an established veteran core, the fit is seamless.
They don’t need Flagg to be their primary scorer from day one; they need his NBA-ready defense, his versatility, and his relentless motor. This unique situation allows him to develop his offensive arsenal without the immense pressure that typically burdens a number one pick on a struggling team. His first taste of professional action in the Las Vegas Summer League was a perfect encapsulation of his character.
After a rough shooting debut, he exploded for 31 points in a highly anticipated matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. More telling, however, was his reaction afterward. He reportedly pleaded with the coaching staff to let him play one more game, just to prove his dominant performance wasn’t a fluke. The Mavericks wisely declined, protecting their prized asset, but the message was sent: Flagg’s competitive fire burns as brightly as his talent.
On the other side of that Summer League court was Dylan Harper, the Rutgers combo guard who went second overall to the San Antonio Spurs. Harper, the consensus number two prospect, is a polished offensive engine, a powerful 6-foot-6 guard who can get to the rim at will and make plays for others. His selection immediately created one of the most fascinating subplots of the draft. The Spurs, desperate for a primary playmaker to pair with their generational big man Victor Wembanyama, now have a delightful but complicated logjam in their backcourt with Harper joining De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle.
The pick was a clear signal from the Spurs’ front office: they are accumulating talent and creating internal competition. Anonymous scouts immediately began speculating that Harper’s presence could eventually make Fox expendable, giving the Spurs a valuable trade asset to further build around Wembanyama. With their second first-round pick, the Spurs added another intriguing piece, Arizona forward Carter Bryant at number 14, a player lauded as perhaps the best 3-and-D prospect in the draft, further bolstering their young core.
The picks that followed Harper showcased the different philosophies of teams in the lottery. The Philadelphia 76ers, still in win-now mode around Joel Embiid, selected Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe at number three. Edgecombe is an explosive wingman whose defensive prowess is expected to translate immediately. While his offensive game is still raw, executives were enamored with his fit, with one Eastern Conference GM boldly suggesting he could be Philly’s second-best player by the end of the season. In stark contrast, the Charlotte Hornets at number four opted for a high-floor, perfect-fit player in Duke’s Kon Knueppel. An elite shooter and high-IQ playmaker, Knueppel is designed to make life easier for Charlotte’s stars, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.
The Utah Jazz then made the biggest gamble of the top five, selecting Rutgers forward Ace Bailey. Bailey, a player with top-three talent and a scoring arsenal that drew comparisons to Carmelo Anthony from Jazz co-owner Dwyane Wade, came with significant pre-draft drama, reportedly trying to avoid landing in Utah. The Jazz rolled the dice on his immense upside, a classic boom-or-bust swing. The Washington Wizards, picking sixth, rounded out the top group by selecting the draft’s purest shooter, Texas guard Tre Johnson, a specialist who gives their rebuilding offense a clear identity.
The rest of the first round was a whirlwind of strategic moves and intriguing talent acquisition. The Brooklyn Nets made history, using their bevy of accumulated picks to select five first-rounders. Their haul was a masterclass in diversifying a rebuild: Russian point-forward Egor Demin from BYU at number eight, speedy French guard Nolan Traoré at 19, athletic North Carolina wing Drake Powell at 22, Israeli combo guard Ben Saraf at 26, and unique 7-foot Michigan center Danny Wolf at 27.
The international flavor continued with the Chicago Bulls grabbing French forward Noa Essengue at 12 and the Minnesota Timberwolves selecting another French big, Joan Beringer, at 17. The biggest surprise of the round came at 16, where the Portland Trail Blazers selected 7-foot-2 Chinese center Hansen Yang, a projected second-rounder whose dazzling passing in Summer League immediately drew comparisons to Nikola Jokic. Draft night trades also shuffled the deck, with the New Orleans Pelicans making an aggressive move to acquire Maryland center Derik Queen at 13 and the Memphis Grizzlies trading up to snag Washington State wing Cedric Coward at 11.
Here’s the thing, folks: Now that Summer League play is over, it will be interesting to see how these teams continue to build around their picks as the 2025-26 season approaches.
With that… The spotlight will without a doubt remain on Cooper Flagg. He is the early favorite to win Rookie of the Year. But the true measure of this class will be found in the contrasting paths of its lottery picks and the unexpected contributions from those chosen long after the bright lights of the top five had dimmed. From San Antonio to Brooklyn, from Charlotte to Utah, the league has been infused with a new wave of talent, each player ready to write their own chapter in the story of the class of 2025.
If you cannot play with then, then root for them!